Racing Louisville FC responds to allegations against Christy Holly in NWSL investigation

Two days after a high-profile investigation revealed sexual assault allegations against former Racing Louisville FC coach Christy Holly, club President James O'Connor released a statement calling the hire "a mistake."

But O'Connor isn't stepping down.

The five-paragraph response ignited strong reactions from fans Wednesday afternoon on social media. Many have called on O'Connor to resign as president of Soccer Holdings LLC, which owns Racing and Louisville City FC, for his role in hiring Holly as Racing's first coach in August 2020.

"It took @RacingLouFC two days to come up with this statement. Pathetic," one fan wrote on Twitter. "The players deserve better. Hell, the fans deserve better."

Christy Holly:Investigation alleges ex-Racing Louisville coach sexually assaulted former player

Yates report:Investigation finds ‘systemic’ abuse of players, while NWSL, USSF stayed silent

Holly is accused of sexually assaulting former Racing defender Erin Simon during a one-on-one film session on April 21, 2021, according to former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates' independent investigation conducted on behalf of the U.S. Soccer Federation. The 172-page report also alleges Holly engaged in a "pattern of misconduct," verbally and emotionally abusing players in Louisville and during his two-year stint coaching the club now known as NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Racing fired Holly "for cause" on Aug. 31, 2021, but did not elaborate on its reasons for the decision. No criminal charges have been filed, and Louisville Metro Police said "no reports have been taken" regarding the former coach, who declined comment when reached by the Courier Journal on Monday.

Fans of Racing and Louisville City are planning a silent protest during the men's United Soccer League match Wednesday against Detroit, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. from Lynn Family Stadium.

Soccer Holdings LLC President James O'Connor's statement on allegations against Christy Holly in NWSL investigation

Here is O'Connor's letter, which was posted to Racing's official website, in full:

"The U.S. Soccer-released Sally Yates report which was published earlier this week served as a harsh reminder that appointing Christy Holly as Racing Louisville FC’s first coach was a mistake. We have learned from that mistake, and we apologize to Erin Simon, to our players past and present and to our fans.

"We commend Erin for her bravery in coming forward as part of U.S. Soccer’s investigation. And while our former coach was terminated within 24 hours of us being alerted to the behavior, we know that wasn’t enough and that we failed our locker room by creating a space where this behavior could occur.

"We have worked hard every day since then to ensure a safe environment that puts players in a position to succeed. This includes implementation of club-wide anonymous reporting services and a re-evaluated hiring process for staff.

"We will cooperate with the ongoing NWSL/NWSLPA joint investigation and welcome recommendations to improve our organization for the betterment of players. The Joint Investigative Team may be contacted at NWSL_Investigation@cov.com or you may reach out to the NWSL or NWSLPA directly or through any other club and league reporting channels.

"We are not the same club that we were in August of 2021. We now owe it to our players and community to prove it."

'We're gonna be silent':LouCity supporters to protest in wake of allegations against ex-Racing coach Christy Holly

Former Racing Louisville FC soccer player Erin Simon speaks out on Instagram

Making her first public comments since Monday, Simon did not speak about Racing or Holly and instead chose to thank fans and encourage other victims to continue fighting.

"I would like to take a second in the midst of all of this chaos to send out a massive thank you — from the bottom of my heart," she wrote. "This has not been an easy journey by any means. However, the outpouring of love and support I have received from so many people has given me more strength, hope, and motivation to continue moving forward towards making a change."

Dr. Mark Lynn: 'They were doing everything they could to protect the player'

Before O'Connor released his statement, the man who purchased the naming rights to the Lynn Family Stadium said Wednesday morning that the National Women's Soccer League had told the club to stay silent.

"The league has told the teams, 'Don’t speak; don’t talk about it,' said Dr. Mark Lynn, an optometrist and co-owner of Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training. "They’re doing their own investigation, and some of the presidents and owners of the league are issuing statements, and it’s basically, 'Hey, we can’t say anything.' So they’re stuck in the same boat because they’re part of the league."

Lynn, who in 2019 scored the naming rights to Louisville's premier soccer stadium with an undisclosed donation, told the Courier Journal he had "no idea" about the allegations against Holly when the coach was fired. He was told the club chose to sign non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements with Holly to "protect" Simon, who agreed to have her name published in the investigation and told ESPN through a spokesperson she wants to do "everything in my power to ensure that no other player must experience what I did."

"They were doing everything they could to protect the player at that point," Lynn told the Courier Journal on Wednesday. "Now the player’s decided to deal with it openly, and I’m very glad she did, because the only way it’s gonna stop is to get it out there. And now that it’s out there, this type of thing is reprehensible, and you just can’t allow it. So I’m glad they terminated for cause and made it go away as fast as they could when it happened. (That’s) really, the extent of my knowledge of it at this point, but it seemed like once they knew they dealt with it quickly and harshly … and everything they did was to help preserve and protect the player."

Lynn Family Stadium:For Louisville City FC and for the Lynn family, naming the stadium wasn't about money

Yates and Atlanta-based law firm King & Spalding LLP, however, list Racing among the clubs that "did not fully cooperate" with their investigation.

The report says Racing produced just 41 documents for investigators, "refused" to turn over other documents concerning Holly and, citing its non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements, "would not permit witnesses (even former employees) to answer relevant questions regarding Holly’s tenure."

"They’re trying to follow the rules and (regulations) that they’ve been given, as well," Lynn told the Courier Journal. "So it’s a tough, tough spot they’ve been put in from both sides of the fence."

Former Racing Louisville FC captain Michelle Betos: 'They need to be held accountable'

Speaking with the Courier Journal on Tuesday, former Racing captain Michelle Betos said teams involved in Yates' investigation need to hold owners and executives responsible for creating environments where coaches could abuse players.

"It took one of the worst things that could happen to a person to actually get him out of there," Betos said of Holly. "… For me, it just feels really important that people understand this league, these teams, these owners and people in positions of power have existed in this way for so long."

'They need to clean house':Former Racing captain responds to Christy Holly investigation

Moving forward, Betos said, "there needs to be a space where players have trust in their higher-ups. I think that trust was broken, if it was ever there to begin with. They need to be held accountable."

Racing Louisville FC corporate sponsors release statements on Yates report allegations

GE Appliances, whose logo is featured on the front of Racing's kits, posted the following statement to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon:

"As a sponsor of Racing Louisville, Louisville City FC and the LouCity/Racing Academy, we support the athletes of the NWSL and USWNTPA. To the athletes, we believe in your talents, your tenacity in this sport and your enduring desire to prevail in the face of adversity. GE Appliances condemns the actions and systemic failures outlined in the investigation of abuse against these players. We believe all athletes deserve a safe and professional environment in which to compete and train. Our financial support is a commitment to help close the gaps in opportunity faced by female athletes. Our continued sponsorship hinges on the ability of this team to make real changes that ensure a safe and positive environment for the athletes."

Barrell Craft Spirits also posted a statement to its Twitter account Wednesday. The company said, in part, that its continued sponsorship "will wholly depend on the team and NWSL's response to creating swift and meaningful change."

Baptist Health released the following statement Wednesday through a spokesperson: "The information in these reports is heartbreaking and very troubling. Baptist Health supports the athletes of Racing Louisville FC. Our prayers are with the players affected, and we applaud their courage in coming forward to tell their stories."

Reach recruiting and trending sports reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: NWSL's Racing Louisville responds to allegations against Christy Holly